Problem with New Morimoto Tail Lights
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Problem with New Morimoto Tail Lights
I recently purchased Morimoto Tail Lights and I am having the following problems:
My car is an '05 with stock wiring and no aftermarket wiring harnesses are installed.
Vendor claims they are not having a problem with these lights and will charge me a restocking fee to return them if I do not have the original packaging. (which I do not).
Anyone else having similar problems? Some may have these lights installed and have not noticed.
- When I hit the brakes with the car running and in gear my Morimoto Gen 1 Headlights white DRL’s dim to about half brightness, this only happens with Morimoto Tail lights installed.
- The instrument lights illuminate when I hit the brakes in Accessory mode.(with the engine off)
- All 4 Morimoto tail lights flash when the left or right blinker is on.
- These symptoms occur with any one or all of the tail lights installed.
My car is an '05 with stock wiring and no aftermarket wiring harnesses are installed.
Vendor claims they are not having a problem with these lights and will charge me a restocking fee to return them if I do not have the original packaging. (which I do not).
Anyone else having similar problems? Some may have these lights installed and have not noticed.
#2
Melting Slicks
Post the name of the vendor so I know not to purchase from them. Thanks!
Edit: Was it @VetteLights? https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1598502482
Edit: Was it @VetteLights? https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1598502482
Last edited by jimijam; 01-16-2019 at 11:15 PM.
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ladder13 (05-23-2019)
#4
Burning Brakes
I have a 2008 with the Morimoto red tails and the Morimoto gen 1 headlights with a Radio Flyer harness. Everything works as it should. I wonder if the 2005 has wiring issues with these lights the same way it has a problem with throttle controllers?
#6
Racer
Thread Starter
Post the name of the vendor so I know not to purchase from them. Thanks!
Edit: Was it @VetteLights? https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1598502482
Edit: Was it @VetteLights? https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1598502482
I wish I would have bought these from VetteLights, he seems to be very responsive to problems with products he sells.
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wideglideleon (09-21-2020)
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
Anyone with an '05 have the same problem?
#8
Burning Brakes
If that question is for me, I don't understand what you are asking. The Radio Flyer harness is for the headlights to work as the C7 lights. See Radio Flyers website for a video of the operation. Makes the Morimoto headlights work as the should have from the beginning including flash to pass.
Last edited by PDsVettes; 01-17-2019 at 03:38 PM.
#9
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Oct 2015
Location: Mead Wash
Posts: 3,300
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2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Harness
If that question is for me, I don't understand what you are asking. The Radio Flyer harness is for the headlights to work as the C7 lights. See Radio Flyers website for a video of the operation. Makes the Morimoto headlights work as the should have from the beginning including flash to pass.
#11
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Oct 2015
Location: Mead Wash
Posts: 3,300
Received 766 Likes
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538 Posts
2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Lights
If you want the Morimoto headlights to function correctly, get this. I have the Morimoto tails on my 2008 and they do not hyperflash.
#12
#13
#14
Burning Brakes
You are absolutely correct. But they don't. I got my RF harness during the black friday sale for $100 which was only $25 dollars more than the other vendor's harness was selling for. However, those harnesses also had problems. Hopefully they will get it right one of these days. Meanwhile, my lights work correctly with the RF harness.
Last edited by PDsVettes; 01-17-2019 at 04:59 PM.
#15
Burning Brakes
If that question is for me, I don't understand what you are asking. The Radio Flyer harness is for the headlights to work as the C7 lights. See Radio Flyers website for a video of the operation. Makes the Morimoto headlights work as the should have from the beginning including flash to pass.
#17
Burning Brakes
Cole at VetteLights stated that the gen 2 have the DRL/Turn signal issue corrected but the gen 2 lights still don't have flash to pass. If that doesn't bother you, then your are good with the gen 2 lights. I personally use the flash to pass quite a bit to let another driver know it is OK to come into the lane in front of me. RadioFlyers also has a harness for the gen 2 lights to give them proper function.
Last edited by PDsVettes; 01-17-2019 at 06:26 PM.
#18
Instructor
i had a similar issue on my 16 suburban when i installed the aftermarket escalade taillights with resistors.
i belive it is a resistor issue, i remember reading here in the forums from a fellow corvette owner about a similar issue with led aftermarket lights and he solved the problem by installing an extra resistor or replacing it , cant remember it now.
in the suburban even after the vendor sent me another set of taillights it wouldnt solve the issue.gave to another friend with same car (mine was an LT his was an ltz), he didnt have the same problem.
good luck figuring it out
i belive it is a resistor issue, i remember reading here in the forums from a fellow corvette owner about a similar issue with led aftermarket lights and he solved the problem by installing an extra resistor or replacing it , cant remember it now.
in the suburban even after the vendor sent me another set of taillights it wouldnt solve the issue.gave to another friend with same car (mine was an LT his was an ltz), he didnt have the same problem.
good luck figuring it out
Last edited by Tj25; 01-18-2019 at 10:28 PM.
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BlackLS (01-19-2019)
#19
Race Director
I recently purchased Morimoto Tail Lights and I am having the following problems:
My car is an '05 with stock wiring and no aftermarket wiring harnesses are installed.
Vendor claims they are not having a problem with these lights and will charge me a restocking fee to return them if I do not have the original packaging. (which I do not).
Anyone else having similar problems? Some may have these lights installed and have not noticed.
- When I hit the brakes with the car running and in gear my Morimoto Gen 1 Headlights white DRL’s dim to about half brightness, this only happens with Morimoto Tail lights installed.
- The instrument lights illuminate when I hit the brakes in Accessory mode.(with the engine off)
- All 4 Morimoto tail lights flash when the left or right blinker is on.
- These symptoms occur with any one or all of the tail lights installed.
My car is an '05 with stock wiring and no aftermarket wiring harnesses are installed.
Vendor claims they are not having a problem with these lights and will charge me a restocking fee to return them if I do not have the original packaging. (which I do not).
Anyone else having similar problems? Some may have these lights installed and have not noticed.
When you hit the brakes it 'powers up' the running light circuit and the car behaves the same as it would if you used the stalk to turn on the running lights.
When you turn on the running lights the front turn signals in DRL mode (bright turn signals) go off, and the running lights come on (dimmer front turn signals) and of course the dash lights will come on too. This is normal.
The turn signals in the left rear are causing the running lights on the right to come on and vice versa. Actually the running lights are coming on, on both sides but you can't see them on the side with the turn signals on, because they aren't as bright.
The load resistors have nothing to do with this unless they are installed wrong tying the brakes/turn signals to the running lights. And they should be 6 ohm resistors.
I would check the Morimoto lights with a tester to see if there is an internal short. Or can their connector be plugged in backwards? Don't even know if that's possible.
Good luck with this PITA.
Last edited by Knob Jockey; 01-19-2019 at 03:15 AM. Reason: sp
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BlackLS (01-19-2019)
#20
Melting Slicks
Cole at VetteLights stated that the gen 2 have the DRL/Turn signal issue corrected but the gen 2 lights still don't have flash to pass. If that doesn't bother you, then your are good with the gen 2 lights. I personally use the flash to pass quite a bit to let another driver know it is OK to come into the lane in front of me. RadioFlyers also has a harness for the gen 2 lights to give them proper function.
I sent the old lights back one week and had the new ones the next, I was really impressed by that.